Now that the 2010 season is officially over, it is time to wrap it up. At the start of the year COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN previewed each conference with a “5 Step Drop.” We will look back at those predictions to see how this year shaped up with what was expected in a series of “5 Yard Out” columns over the next few weeks. First up, the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Showing posts with label Georgia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Georgia. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Heisman Hopefuls: Bowl Games Will Impact The 2011 Race
It has barely been a week since the 2010 Heisman Trophy was awarded, but the 2011 race is already underway. The college football bowl season is the perfect opportunity for Heisman hopefuls to get a leg up on next year’s race. Bowl games are a bigger stage than many regular season games, and they leave a lasting impression in voters’ minds during the long offseason.
Jimmy Clausen positioned himself just behind the “Big 3” in the 2009 Heisman Trophy race after the 2008 Hawaii bowl. Clausen was 22 of 26 for 401 yards, 5 touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 49-21 route.
Matt Leinart roasted Michigan in the Rose Bowl following the 2003 season. Leinart passed for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns with 23 completions on 34 attempts. He was the Rose Bowl MVP, and he even caught a touchdown pass. In 2004, Leinart beat out freshman upstart Adrian Peterson. No one knew who Peterson was until September 2004, but, nearly a year before, Leinart had already established himself as the best quarterback in college football.
Ty Detmer, the 1990 Heisman Trophy winner, overcame long odds to win the bronze statue largely in part because he passed for 576 yards against Penn State in the 1989 Holiday Bowl.
This list could go on and on. However, as fun as reminiscing is, the 2010 bowl season is upon us. We should be looking at who can establish themselves as 2011 Heisman Trophy candidates with strong bowl performances.
To avoid a list as long as many children’s Christmas wish list, I will leave off the obvious guys, like LaMichael James, Andrew Luck and Kellen Moore, who are already in the center of the radar and could sit out their respective bowl games and still be prime candidates when the 2011 season rolls around.
Jimmy Clausen positioned himself just behind the “Big 3” in the 2009 Heisman Trophy race after the 2008 Hawaii bowl. Clausen was 22 of 26 for 401 yards, 5 touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 49-21 route.
Matt Leinart roasted Michigan in the Rose Bowl following the 2003 season. Leinart passed for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns with 23 completions on 34 attempts. He was the Rose Bowl MVP, and he even caught a touchdown pass. In 2004, Leinart beat out freshman upstart Adrian Peterson. No one knew who Peterson was until September 2004, but, nearly a year before, Leinart had already established himself as the best quarterback in college football.
Ty Detmer, the 1990 Heisman Trophy winner, overcame long odds to win the bronze statue largely in part because he passed for 576 yards against Penn State in the 1989 Holiday Bowl.
This list could go on and on. However, as fun as reminiscing is, the 2010 bowl season is upon us. We should be looking at who can establish themselves as 2011 Heisman Trophy candidates with strong bowl performances.
To avoid a list as long as many children’s Christmas wish list, I will leave off the obvious guys, like LaMichael James, Andrew Luck and Kellen Moore, who are already in the center of the radar and could sit out their respective bowl games and still be prime candidates when the 2011 season rolls around.
- Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State, was a leading candidate coming into 2010, but fell completely off the radar despite having his best season to date. The junior quarterback didn’t even receive one vote. A big game in the Sugar Bowl against an “SEC defense” can put him back on everyone’s list.
- Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, entered the Heisman discussion this year with a big game at Washington. He trailed off at the end of the season due to injuries and Roy Helu getting more touches. Another monster game against the Huskies in the Holiday Bowl, and Martinez can enter the discussion for 2011, without Helu.
- Russell Wilson, North Carolina State, had a solid junior year guiding North Carolina State to their best season since the Phillip Rivers days. Wilson has passed for almost 3,300 yards and 26 touchdowns to date, and he had NC State on the cusp of playing in the ACC championship game. How he plays against 9-3 West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl could signal whether he is ready to take his game and the Wolfpack to the next level.
- Blaine Gabbert, Missouri, had a down statistical year, but he helped Missouri surpass most people’s expectations by quarterbacking the Tigers to 10 wins. A big game against the well respected Iowa Hawkeyes defense in the Insight Bowl could be the catalyst for Gabbert to bounce back in 2011 with a special year.
- Aaron Murray, Georgia, had a good season. He passes for 2,851 yards, has a 24 to 6 TD:Int. ratio, and a 162.7 pass efficiency rating. He put up these numbers despite A.J. Green missing the first four games of the season. Oh, and Murray is just a freshman. A big game in the Liberty Bowl against Central Florida and Murray will be poised to make a run at the Heisman in 2011.
- Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, had flashes of greatness this year as a freshman. He faces ACC runner up Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. If he shows up the way he did against Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida, then he will be showing up on a lot of preseason Heisman Trophy lists.
- Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M, brought life back to the Aggies. He has guided them to a 6-0 finish to the season. He will face the best defense in the SEC in the Cotton Bowl. If he can get a win and look good doing it, voters will take notice.
- Darron Thomas, Oregon, unexpectedly took the Ducks to the next level this year. With Thomas being unknown and untested, LaMichael James got all the attention early in the year. The nation is slowly catching on to how important Thomas was in getting the Ducks where they are now. If Thomas can outplay Cam Newton the way Vince Young did Reggie Bush five years ago, Thomas will have a spot at the top of everyone’s list in 2011.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Weekly Trivia: Conference Championships for UCF Golden Knights
The answer to last week's trivia question, "When was the last time Georgia started 4-5 or worse?" is 1996. The Bulldogs finished the year 5-6.
Conference/divisional races are starting to become a little clear. Central Florida (UCF) appears to be a lock for the Conference USA championship game as the East Division representative. This week's question is:
For more trivia questions, visit the Trivia page.
Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Boise State Broncos Got the BCS Blues
Heisman Hopefuls: Auburn QB Cam Newton Controls the Race in More Ways Than One
Monday Musings: Air Force Wins the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Poll Results: Will Michgian win 6 games to be bowl eligible?
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 10, 2010
Game of the Week: TCU Horned Frogs at Utah Utes
Game Predictions, Week 10, 2010
Conference/divisional races are starting to become a little clear. Central Florida (UCF) appears to be a lock for the Conference USA championship game as the East Division representative. This week's question is:
How many conference championships does UCF have since starting Division I-A play in 1996?Leave your answer in the comments section. The answer will be revealed next Wednesday when a new question is asked.
For more trivia questions, visit the Trivia page.
Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Boise State Broncos Got the BCS Blues
Heisman Hopefuls: Auburn QB Cam Newton Controls the Race in More Ways Than One
Monday Musings: Air Force Wins the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Poll Results: Will Michgian win 6 games to be bowl eligible?
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 10, 2010
Game of the Week: TCU Horned Frogs at Utah Utes
Game Predictions, Week 10, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Weekly Trivia: Georgia Bulldogs Starting 4-5
The answer to last week's trivia question, "How many players reached the 1,000 yards rushing plateau in 2009?" is 53, per ESPN.com.
Two weeks ago we looked at an SEC team getting off to a good start, this week we will look at an SEC team off to an uncharacteristically poor start. With their overtime loss to the Florida Gators, the Georgia Bulldogs fell to 4-5. This week's question is:
For more trivia questions, visit the Trivia page.
Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Heisman Hopefuls: Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley Eliminated
Monday Musings: LaMichael James is the Oregon Ducks’ Secret to Success
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 9, 2010
Poll Results: Should Auburn be the BCS number 1?
Weekly Predictions/Game of the Week
The Michigan Wolverines Should Retain Rich Rodriguez In 2011
Two weeks ago we looked at an SEC team getting off to a good start, this week we will look at an SEC team off to an uncharacteristically poor start. With their overtime loss to the Florida Gators, the Georgia Bulldogs fell to 4-5. This week's question is:
When was the last time Georgia started 4-5 or worse?Leave your answer in the comments section. The answer will be revealed next Wednesday when a new question is asked.
For more trivia questions, visit the Trivia page.
Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Heisman Hopefuls: Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley Eliminated
Monday Musings: LaMichael James is the Oregon Ducks’ Secret to Success
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 9, 2010
Poll Results: Should Auburn be the BCS number 1?
Weekly Predictions/Game of the Week
The Michigan Wolverines Should Retain Rich Rodriguez In 2011
Monday, August 16, 2010
New Year, Same Old Story: The SEC is Overrated
The USA Today (Coaches) Top 25 is out. I am not going to discuss the poll in depth. When the College Football Haven Top 25 comes out August 30, you will be able to see where I agree and disagree with the coaches. However, there is one thing from the coaches poll that does stick out. The SEC is still overrated. In the poll, the SEC is represented as follows:
1. Alabama
3. Florida
16. LSU
19. Arkansas
21. Georgia
23. Auburn
Six teams is one half of the SEC. Do you really expect anyone to believe that six of the top 25 teams in the country are from one conference? This poll is saying that the top half of the SEC is better than 81% of the teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
Auburn might have surprised many people with 8 wins last year after the fallout over the Gene Chizik hiring, but I think Auburn still needs to show it is ready to take the next step before being ranked.
Georgia had a down year (8-5) in 2009. However, with a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback, I am skeptical that this year will be better than the last. Guys like Sam Bradford don't grow on trees.
Arkansas is one I agree with. In fact, I think the Hogs will be a surprise team in 2010, and should be ranked higher. Ryan Mallett and Bobby Petrino will have the team racing up and down the field. If they catch a few breaks, they may find themselves in the SEC Championship game.
LSU has been disappointing, to say the least, the last two years (8-5 and 9-4). Les Miles has already lost my faith, and if he doesn’t put up 10 wins or more this year he might lose his job. Sixteen is a little bit of a stretch, I would have them closer to 20.
Florida lost Tim Tebow, the three time Heisman Trophy finalist, Aaron Hernandez, the 2009 Mackey Award winner, at tight end, and Brandon Spikes, a two-time All-American, at linebacker. Yet, Florida is starting 2010 at number 3. Talk about deja-vu. After the 2006 National Championship year, Florida had to replace the starting quarterback and some key personnel on defense. In 2007, the team finished 9-4. Why should we expect much different this year? There was a noticeable drop off from 2008 to 2009 just by Percy Harvin leaving for the NFL. Throw in Urban Meyer’s health, and the number 3 ranking for Florida is the most egregious ranking of all the SEC teams.
Last is Alabama. The 2009 National Champions are starting right where they left off. Except they will have to do so without Rolando McClain, Terrance Cody, and five other NFL draft picks. Throw in the controversial schedule that has six conference opponents given two weeks to prepare for the Crimson Tide, and I don’t think this team even makes the national championship game. Don’t get me wrong. I am starting to become a believer in Nick Saban the coach, and I think ‘Bama will be a top 10 team this year. I just don’t think this number one ranking is merited.
Well, maybe overrating the SEC will stop next year. Until then, there's a lot of great football to play! (Come back Thursday, August 19, 2010, as I make an overview of the 2010 season before getting into previewing each conference.)
1. Alabama
3. Florida
16. LSU
19. Arkansas
21. Georgia
23. Auburn
Six teams is one half of the SEC. Do you really expect anyone to believe that six of the top 25 teams in the country are from one conference? This poll is saying that the top half of the SEC is better than 81% of the teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
Auburn might have surprised many people with 8 wins last year after the fallout over the Gene Chizik hiring, but I think Auburn still needs to show it is ready to take the next step before being ranked.
Georgia had a down year (8-5) in 2009. However, with a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback, I am skeptical that this year will be better than the last. Guys like Sam Bradford don't grow on trees.
Arkansas is one I agree with. In fact, I think the Hogs will be a surprise team in 2010, and should be ranked higher. Ryan Mallett and Bobby Petrino will have the team racing up and down the field. If they catch a few breaks, they may find themselves in the SEC Championship game.
LSU has been disappointing, to say the least, the last two years (8-5 and 9-4). Les Miles has already lost my faith, and if he doesn’t put up 10 wins or more this year he might lose his job. Sixteen is a little bit of a stretch, I would have them closer to 20.
Florida lost Tim Tebow, the three time Heisman Trophy finalist, Aaron Hernandez, the 2009 Mackey Award winner, at tight end, and Brandon Spikes, a two-time All-American, at linebacker. Yet, Florida is starting 2010 at number 3. Talk about deja-vu. After the 2006 National Championship year, Florida had to replace the starting quarterback and some key personnel on defense. In 2007, the team finished 9-4. Why should we expect much different this year? There was a noticeable drop off from 2008 to 2009 just by Percy Harvin leaving for the NFL. Throw in Urban Meyer’s health, and the number 3 ranking for Florida is the most egregious ranking of all the SEC teams.
Last is Alabama. The 2009 National Champions are starting right where they left off. Except they will have to do so without Rolando McClain, Terrance Cody, and five other NFL draft picks. Throw in the controversial schedule that has six conference opponents given two weeks to prepare for the Crimson Tide, and I don’t think this team even makes the national championship game. Don’t get me wrong. I am starting to become a believer in Nick Saban the coach, and I think ‘Bama will be a top 10 team this year. I just don’t think this number one ranking is merited.
Well, maybe overrating the SEC will stop next year. Until then, there's a lot of great football to play! (Come back Thursday, August 19, 2010, as I make an overview of the 2010 season before getting into previewing each conference.)
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